Amadinda Percussion Group
Encyclopedia
Amadinda Percussion Group was formed in 1984 in Budapest
by four musicians, just after having graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. Since founding the ensemble, the central point of their activity has been double. On one hand to present masterpieces of percussion music, unknown to the Hungarian audience so far, on the other hand to perform the music of Hungarian contemporary composers in their country and abroad. One of their principal intentions is to inspire Hungarian and international composers to create new pieces. During the recent years three more new elements have been added to their aims: research of traditional percussion cultures, composing new pieces by the members of the group and transcribing outstanding pieces of music history for percussion instruments.
From the very beginning Amadinda has cooperated with world famous artists like John Cage
(recording his complete works for percussion), Steve Reich
, Bruno Canino
, Peter Eötvös
, Rosemary Hardy, András Keller, Zoltán Kocsis
, György Kurtág
, György Ligeti
, András Schiff
. Today, Amadinda is considered as one of the most original and versatile percussion groups in the world.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
by four musicians, just after having graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. Since founding the ensemble, the central point of their activity has been double. On one hand to present masterpieces of percussion music, unknown to the Hungarian audience so far, on the other hand to perform the music of Hungarian contemporary composers in their country and abroad. One of their principal intentions is to inspire Hungarian and international composers to create new pieces. During the recent years three more new elements have been added to their aims: research of traditional percussion cultures, composing new pieces by the members of the group and transcribing outstanding pieces of music history for percussion instruments.
From the very beginning Amadinda has cooperated with world famous artists like John Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
(recording his complete works for percussion), Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
, Bruno Canino
Bruno Canino
Bruno Canino is an Italian classical pianist and composer.-Early life:Bruno Canino was born in Naples, Italy in 1935, where he studied piano with Vincenzo Vitale. He continued his musical education in Milan, studying both piano and composition. His teachers included Enzo Calace and Bruno Bettinelli...
, Peter Eötvös
Peter Eötvös
Péter Eötvös is a Hungarian composer and conductor.Eötvös was born in Odorheiu Secuiesc/Székelyudvarhely, Szeklerland, Transylvania . He studied composition in Budapest and Cologne. From 1962, he composed for film in Hungary. Eötvös played regularly with the Stockhausen Ensemble between 1968 and...
, Rosemary Hardy, András Keller, Zoltán Kocsis
Zoltán Kocsis
Zoltán Kocsis is a Hungarian pianist, conductor, and composer.Born in Budapest, he started his musical studies at the age of five and continued them at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in 1963, studying piano and composition...
, György Kurtág
György Kurtág
György Kurtág is a Hungarian composer of contemporary music.- Biography :György Kurtág was born in Lugoj in the Banat region, Romania.In 1946, he began his studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, where he met his wife, Márta, and also György Ligeti, who became a close friend...
, György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
, András Schiff
András Schiff
András Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
. Today, Amadinda is considered as one of the most original and versatile percussion groups in the world.
Awards
- 1984 Stipendium Prize, Darmstadt
- 1985 Gaudeamus International Interpreters Award, Amsterdam, First Prize
- 1986 Prize of Hungarian Composers’ Association for outstanding interpretation of Hungarian works
- 1987 Recording of the Year by Hungaroton
- 1988 Ferenc Liszt Prize by the Hungarian Government
- 1991, 1998 Prize of Society ARTISJUS Hungarian Bureau for the Protection of Authors’ Rights
- 1997 Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic
- 2002 Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Z. Rácz)
- 2004 Kossuth Prize by the Hungarian Government
- 2006 Pro Urbe Budapest Prize